Sunday, October 01, 2006

Inflation

When I'm teaching sock knitting, I often tell a story about my grandmother, the Hilda after whom this blog is named.

Hilda was an expert knitter, all through her life. She told me a story once -- a story I didn't really appreciate at the time -- that when she was a girl she'd earn a penny by turning the heel of a sock for less-skilled knitters.

I finished up a two-part sock class today, and as he was leaving R. apologetically pressed a coin into my hand.

He couldn't find an English coin, he said, so this would have to do.

A Sacagawea dollar coin.

R. -- thank you. You're a terrific knitter, and a gentleman, and I will keep the coin in my knitting kit with me always. (It's there, in the tin with the safety pins and stitch markers.)

Hilda would be smiling, I'm quite sure.

1 comment:

Paisley said...

What a great story although I must admit to being mystified by the terror of turning heels. For me, the biggest challenge of socks was knitting in the round without ladders.
I'm also fascinated by the sock in your picture and how the multi-colours on the heel almost look like they come from a different ball of wool.